Equity is an all important rule which is supposed to be a guiding principle directing the affairs of all humans be it in religion, business politics and so on.
The law of equity is equally emphasised in the Bible as Jesus Christ said “love thy neighbour as thy self.” He even went further to add that it’s the most important of all laws.
As humans, we all like to be loved and given our dues, but the important question is do we love others in turn, do we give them their dues?
This question brings us to the issue trending on the social and conventional media over which zone should produce the next governor of Osun State?
This also bring us to the the story of three masquerades that may probably give readers an indepth understanding of this important issue which some have twisted for their selfish ends.
Three masquerades set out to perform at a village square.
After their scintillating performance, the excited village head gave them six bean cakes.
The first masquerade grabbed three, the second took two, this display of greed by these two masquerades angered the third one who asked in a tight fist “are these cakes not six in number”? which the other two answered in the affirmative. Still fuming with anger he told them “if we’re not out to cheat one another this cake should be shared in twos.”
That’s equity, that’s fairness, and that’s justice.
Back to the issue of which zone should have what as being bandied by some for their personal gains, except we want to act like the two greedy masquerades, if not, it should be the turn of Ife.
Reasons abound to support the argument why the Ifes should be given the chance to rule the state if the advocates of zoning should carry the day.
There are four major groups that constitute the present Osun State, namely, the Ijesas, the Ifes, the Oyo’s and the last but not the least, the igbominas.
Out of these four groups, the Ijesas have produced Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Oyo’s had produced late Isiaka Adeleke and Olagunsoye Oyinlola while the Igbominas had produced Chief Bisi Akande respectively, leaving only the Ifes who are yet to take a shot
Today, the Ifes are the only major group that are yet to produce a governor since the creation of Osun state,where then lies the equity and justice here?
Aside the issue of these major groups, if zoning were to be considered as being canvassed by those who share this school of thought, there are six zones in the state namely, Ede, Ikire, Iwo, Ijesha, Ife and Ikirun.
Of all these zones, Ede, Ikirun and Ijesha Zones have at different times ruled the state.
Ede was the first to produce Late Isiaka Adeleke, while Ikirun produced two governors, chief Bisi Akande and Prince Oyilola respectively, Ijesha zone has equally produced Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
The three other zones that have not yet filled the position are Ife, Iwo, and Osogbo.
From the above above analysis, it’s important to note that the Ifes are eminently qualified to have a bite of the “cake” if equity and justice are not to be thrown to the dog.
However, political pundits are of the opinion that only a candidate with robust credentials should be considered by the electorates if the people of the state are ready to bail themselves out of the avoidable debts into which the regime of APC plunged the state.
If the above too takes prominence over zoning, Senator Iyiola Omisore stands tall among his peers in terns of experience, and academics, meaning that whatever parameters used, the Ifes carry the day.
Ilesanmi writes from Osogbo
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